


i want you to be happy

by fivour



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fights, M/M, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-12 08:07:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20561006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fivour/pseuds/fivour
Summary: Reiji's not happy with him, but he's gentle all the same, something Ranmaru couldn't even dream of pulling off. Not in a million years.





	i want you to be happy

It's not until he hears the glass shatter that Ranmaru begins to process what he's doing. Camus stares at him in disbelief for what seems like hours, until he grabs Ranmaru's wrist. He's talking too fast to understand, pissed out of his mind, head bleeding from where the broken bottle cut into his skin.

It was Camus' fault. He asked for it. He provoked him.

He tries to shake him off, but Camus won't let go. He isn't weak but Ranmaru's a whole lot stronger, and normally his death grip wouldn't hold so well.

"The hell are you two doing?" Ranmaru looks over to Reiji, who's poked his head into the doorway at the racket. "RanRan?"

Camus lets go, promptly slicing his palm open on the broken glass still clutched in Ranmaru's hand. Something about the way his words die in his throat makes Ranmaru feel good, almost burns out the need to hit his fragile little face with the smashed end of the bottle. Almost.

Reiji rushes over, giving Ranmaru a disdainful frown. "Ranmaru, what the hell?" Reiji saying his full name stings.

"I didn't mean to." It was half a lie.

"Well, you better mean to apologize."

Ranmaru watches Reiji lead Camus over to the sink. Why does he care about that guy? Camus is a prick. He won't bleed to death from a scrape, despite what he thinks.

"Sorry, asshat," Ranmaru decides is appropriate, turning to leave.

He dodges the glass laying on the floor. Ranmaru assumes Reiji will be left to pick it up, because the poor bastard can't tell when Camus is making him do things just because he's lazy. _My hand hurts too much. Oh, I'll do it Myu!_

His hand stings as the glass cuts into his own palm. Ranmaru drops it, not realizing he'd been clenching his fist so hard. Where's _his_ nurse now, huh?

* * *

It's late in the evening before Reiji knocks on Ranmaru's door. He's been sitting in his desk chair for hours, too stubborn to go dress his hand. He doesn't want blood on his bass. It doesn't sting that bad. He'll live for now, albeit uneventfully.

Reiji closes the door behind him, leaning against it. "RanRan?"

Ranmaru doesn't give him a response, staring at the wall right above his head.

"Tell me what happened," Reiji suggests, voice soft.

"I'm sure you already heard that."

Reiji nods, walking over cautiously, as if Ranmaru were a wild animal. It's objectifying. "There's two sides to every story."

"I hate him. I hit him. End of story," Ranmaru leans back in his chair, propping his feet next to Reiji on the bed. "I'm not gonna say sorry."

Reiji's quiet, undoubtedly trying to decide what to say, for once. "_Are_ you sorry?"

"No."

"RanRan, you cut him."

"He asked for it," Ranmaru crosses his arms, holding his side so his hand didn't drip. He didn't like this shirt anyways. "His stupid fuckin' face asks for worse every day."

"Fine. You ain't gotta say sorry, but..." he sighs. "I worry about you, y'know."

"You worry about everything," Ranmaru points out.

Reiji gives him a meek smile. "Yeah. But especially you. You're... you're not alright," he says, smile fading away. "You two are always at each other's throats and now this?"

Ranmaru scoffs. "This? It's a fuckin' _nick_!" He holds up his injured hand to Reiji's face. "I got one too! Mine's worse, but who's gonna come to my fuckin' rescue?"

Reiji takes his hand, and Ranmaru feels his anger go away. Reiji didn't know, couldn't have. He's just as concerned about him, if not more, but Ranmaru doesn't care right now.

"When'd you get this?" Reiji disregards everything he said. Typical.

"When you were pampering the princess."

"Did you... do this?"

"No. I'm not that stupid."

Reiji looks like he's going to make a joke, but instead he shakes his head. "No... you just need to get it together."

"Together?" Ranmaru wants to kick him. How fucking _golden_. Get _his_ shit together! The anger bubbles back up.

"If you're gonna act like you're about to beat me, I'm not doing anything for you," he says, letting go of his hand. It falls uncomfortably on his leg. "Let's fix you up."

Ranmaru follows him to the bathroom, brooding while he bandages his hand. Reiji sits on the edge of the tub while Ranmaru sits on the toilet, their knees bumping every time the other moves. Reiji's not happy with him, but he's gentle all the same, something Ranmaru couldn't even dream of pulling off. Not in a million years.

Reiji holds his hand in his when he's finished. It's weird, and intimate, and Ranmaru wants to pull his arm away, but at the same time... he likes the touch.

"I think you need help," he speaks after a moment. "With your anger."

The other doesn't answer, just watches his tan thumb stroke his palm. It's calming and alarming all at once. Ranmaru doesn't suspect Reiji of anything for an instant, the man is a saint — but he can't help feeling like he's out to get him regardless.

"RanRan, don't give me the silent treatment," Reiji pokes his wrist, as he always does to get his attention. The familiarity is soothing. "I want you to be happy."

_I want you to be happy_.

That's the worst thing Ranmaru could ever ask to hear. And so he doesn't talk.

"Fine," Reiji sighs, and lets go of his hand, standing up. Ranmaru misses it already. "Talk to me when you feel like it."

Reiji's almost gone before he reaches for his shirt, tugging him back. He lets Ranmaru pull him close, burying his face into his stomach, hugging his waist. Reiji hesitates before he pets his hair.

"RanRan?" Reiji says it like he wants his attention, and so Ranmaru grunts in response. "I really care about you. Don't forget that, alright?"

_I want you to be happy._

_I really care about you._

How much worse can this get? Ranmaru fights the urge to say he cares about him too, that he appreciates hearing him say those things even if they aren't true. Even though he knows damn well they're true. His head starts to hurt, trying to figure out what to say, what to do, and so he keeps quiet. Reiji's hand keeps it's slow, steady pace and Ranmaru begins to feel calm.

Why does Reiji care about him?

**Author's Note:**

> im sorry but im also not sorry whatsoever
> 
> and to think not even a year ago i had trouble writing angst.... lmfao. if i feel like it i may fuck around and add another chapter or two, but rn it's just this.


End file.
